A Dino Sleepover at The National Museum, Cardiff

The next Dino Sleepover is being held at The National Museum Cardiff on the 20th/21st July 2024 and you can find out more and book tickets here.

Little boy has been obsessed with dinosaurs for as long as I can remember! By the time he was about 4 he knew all the different names of the dinosaurs and had his favourites too! Now he is a little older, he has other more diverse interests too but dinosaurs remain his first love and he still loves learning all about them.

We previously took part in a National Museum Cardiff event during the covid lockdown - it was a virtual sleepover event and it was great. Imagine my excitement then when I learned that they have started them in person now! We were kindly invited to try one out and wanted to share all about what we got up to with you!

We arrived in the early evening and left our belongings (sleeping bags, pillows etc) in a safe space with the rest of the stuff from our group and picked up our sleepover gift bags. We had inside a torch, earplugs, popcorn and a dinosaur toy! We then headed off to the first event of the evening. Everyone attending the sleepover was split into 4 groups and we were in the Stegasaurus group. The groups rotated around so that we were spread across different areas of the museum and not too crowded together. This worked really well as it meant we could ask lots of questions.

A woman and a child smile for a selfie in front of a staircase inside a building with red ropes on either side and a large statue at the top.

Firstly we watched an interactive dinosaur show where we learnt all about some dinosaurs, got to see some fossils, played quizzes and saw some animated dinosaurs. It was great fun and like I said, really interactive so it completely engaged and enthralled the children and adults alike. Little boy and I got a bit competitive in the quizes - but yes he beat me with his immense dino knowledge!

A presentation is taking place in a large hall. A screen displays an image of two presenters. The hall has ornate pillars and a banner reading "DINOMANIA." An audience is seated in the foreground.

A large screen displays an image of a roaring dinosaur in a jungle setting.

Next it was our turn for dinner - we were given snack boxes - like lunchboxes and a hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows. You provided them with your dietary requirements before the day and I had a falafel sandwich, vegan popcorn, an apple and a vegan chocolate bar and Little boy had a cheese sandwich, crisps, an apple and a chocolate bar. It was perfect to keep us going for the evening, although if you are used to a larger evening meal then maybe eat before you go.

After this we went for a tour of the Evolution of Wales part of the museum - in the dark! We used the torches we had been given and as it was a guided tour we learnt so much that we didn't know already about this part of the museum and what it shows - and we are regular visitors to the museum! The museum looks so different in the dark and it was so quiet as it was closed to external visitors. I think this was probably our favourite part of the evening!

A child examines a large amethyst cluster under a magnifying glass at a museum or exhibit display. The crystal's deep purple hues are prominently visible.

A dinosaur skeleton exhibit displayed against a painted backdrop of a prehistoric landscape, illuminated in a dimly lit setting.

The fun didn't stop there! We next did some arts and crafts - we decorated our bags that we had been given with fabric pens and were given some air drying clay and dinosaur toys so that we could make our very own dinosaur fossils to take home. I loved that we got to make a souvenir keepsake and we have our fossils proudly displayed at home!

A child colors a fabric bag with a red fabric pen while sitting at a polka-dotted table. Nearby are fabric pens and a toy dinosaur.

A person is using a wooden tool to shape a piece of gray clay on a purple and white polka-dotted surface. Nearby, there is a small green clay figure.

Finally it was movie time - I didn't know that there is a theatre in the museum! We had comfy seats and a great view as Night At The Museum played out - I actually hadn't seen this film before so it was perfect! We ate the snacks we had brought with us and the popcorn from the bags and snuggled down together to watch.

A woman and a boy smile at the camera while seated in red chairs. The boy wears a Mario-themed shirt.

Of course, by then it was bedtime - and as you can imagine it was rather late - about 11.30 I think. We returned to the main entrance concourse of the museum where our sleeping mats and bags had been laid out for us and we prepared for our very own night at the museum! Lights went out at 12 and everyone was so worn out that sleep came quickly! I thought that it might be uncomfortable on the floor but it wasn't too bad and it was such a magical experience waking up there in the morning. If you like you can pay extra to upgrade to a VIP ticket where you get an air-bed!

A person in a blue hoodie stands on a tiled floor next to several bags and a rolled-up mat. A staircase is in the background, with another person walking away. The lighting has a greenish tint.

A child is sitting on a sleeping bag inside a large building with green lighting. They are wearing a hooded sweatshirt with cartoon characters and are surrounded by camping items including a water bottle and flashlight.

We both slept well and were up by 7am for breakfast in the museum restaurant - a very respectable continental buffet affair and then a morning workout dance routine! We also got to have a look around the museum again (and the museum shop) before they opened up to the public that day.

We had SUCH a great time at the museum and I would highly recommend it to everyone. Tickets cost £70 each if you sleep in the main hall like we did, £75 if you choose an alcove or £95 to upgrade to VIP. It sounds expensive but you really can see where the money goes and it is such a great experience. My little boy loved it and I'm so glad that we did it!